Paper fastener



PAPER FASTENER Filed Sept. 18, 1944 A 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 28, 1950,SEGAL 2,498,901

PAPER FASTENER Filed se pls, 1944 SSheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 28,1950 s. SEGAL2,498,901

PAPER FASTENER Filed Sept. 18, 1944 5 sheets-sheet s Feb. 28, 19 50 sEA|2,498,901 I PAPER FASTENER Filed Sept. 18, 4 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 ifiwntoja/nwel 52 gal S. SEGAL PAPER FASTENER Feb. 28, 1950 Filed sep 1944 5Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Feb. 28, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1rArER FASTENER Samuel Segal, New York, N. Y., assignor to Wilson-JonesCompany, Chicago, 111., a corporation-of Massachusetts,

i pplication september 18, 1944, Serial No. 554,568

This invention relates. to ordinarily used to secure a plurality ofsheets of paper or similar material together temporarily. It is anobject of'this invention to provide improved means for facilitating thesecurement of a compressor plate to the prongs of a base member. It is afurther object of this invention to provide a compressor plate withmeansfor speeding up filing operations by decreasingthe' timere quiredfor manipulating the fastener. Other objects of this invention willbecome apparent upon reading the following description, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of one embodiment of my improved fastenersecured to a stack of sheets; 1

- '5 Clair ns. ((124-153) a fastener of th type Figure 2 is alongitudinal sectional "view taken along the lines II--II of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the line IIIIII of Figure2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the prongs of the basememberprojecting through a stack of sheets and'the compressor plate inposition to engag the prongs;

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the sliding keepers;

, Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the compressor plate; I

Figure 7 is a view, similar to Figure 1, showing another embodiment ofmy improved fastener;

Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view take along the line yin-VIIIof Figure 7;

Figure 9 isqa cross sectional view taken along the line IX-IX of Figure'7; V

Figure 10 is a view, similar to Figure 1, showing another embodiment ofmy improved fastener; I v

. Figure 11 is a view, similar to Figure .1, showing another embodimentof my improved fastener;

Figure 12 is across sectional viewtaken along the line XII- -XII ofFigure 11;

Figure 13 is a view, similar to Figure 1, showing another embodiment ofmy improved fastener; v

Figure 14 is a cross sectional view taken along the line XIVXIV ofFigure 13; and

Figure 15 is a detail perspective view of another embodiment of mycompressor plate.

Referring to Figures 1 to 6 of the drawings, the reference numeral 2indicates va base member having a pair of prongs 3 extendingfromopposite .ends. 1 The prongs may beintegral with the base imembergasillustrated, or they. may beisecured to the base member in any suitablefashion. A

,. 4,.i n securelybound relationship.

2 plurality of sheets 4 of paper or similar material, provided with apair of apertures 5, is impaled on the prongs 3. A compressor plate 6,adapted to engage the prongs 3, is positioned on top of the sheets 4between the prongs 3.

The compressor plate 6 comprises a channellike member 1 havingupstanding walls 8 and side flanges 9. The channel member 1 rests on thestack of sheets 4 andthe flanges 9 are spaced from the surface of thsheets sufiiciently to permit free sliding movement of a pair of keepersl0. An embossment l l is provided adjacent each end of the channel I fora purpose hereinafter described.

The sliding keeper l0 comprises a channel member I! adapted to fitinside the channel 1 and is provided with a pair of side flanges [3adapted to fit over the flanges 6. The flanges l3 are bent downwardlyand inwardly, as indicated at [4, to embrace the flange 6. Therelationship between the keeper l2 and the channel member 1 is such thatthe keeper may slide longitudinally of the compressor plate with arelatively small amount of friction. One flange I3 is provided with afinger 15 extending transversely across the channel l2. The finger [5may be bowed slightly, as indicated at IE, to provide rigidity.

The channel member I2 is provided with a notch IT in its end that isclosest to the finger l5. When the sliding keepers ID are assembled onthe compressor plate, as indicated in Figure 4, the embossment IIengages the notch I! to prevent the keepers from being movedlongitudinally off the compressor plate. When the keepers are in theiroutermost positions, as indicated in Figure 4, the fingers l5 are justbeyond the outer extremities of the compressor plate so that they mayact as guides in positioning the compressor plate relative to the sheetretaining prongs 3.

From the position indicated in Figure 4, the compressor plate is movedforwardly so that the prongs are engaged between the fingers l5 and theouter edge of the channel members I! and I. The prongs are then bentinwardly o'ver the channel members l2 and l and the sliding keepers aremoved inwardly toward the center of the'compressor plate. If desired,the compressor plate may be furnished with an embossem from movingbeyond the medial position. As illustrated in Figure 1, the fingers l5project over the prongs 3 to retain them in thechannel 1 so as tosecurely maintain the plurality of sheets When it is desired to add orremove any sheets from the stack of sheets 4 it is necessary only tomove the sliding keepers lo outwardly, to bend the prongs 3 upright, andremove the compressor plate by a simple transverse movement. With aconventional paper fastener, if the prongs are overlapped, or if theyare close together at their ends, it is necessary to slide. one keeperin one direction to free its prong and then to slide it back in theopposite direction before the other keeper may be slid to free itsprong. The same time consuming steps are necessary in order to securethe compressor plate conventional fastener.

The embodiment illustrated in'Figures 7, a

to the pron-gs in a and 9 is substantially similar to the embodimentpreviously described, the only differences being that the prongs 3' areeach provided with an aperture l9 disposed near the free end, and thefinger I5 is provided with an embossment 20. The embcssmentmakes the.finger l5 sufiiciently rigid so that it is not necessary to how thefinger as in the previously described embodiment. When the keeper it isslid over the compressor plate with the finger i5 overlying the" prong 3the embossment will engage the aperture is to maintain the keeper andprong in interlocking engagement against accidental displacement. It isobvious that a slight positive pressure will. be sufiicient to force thesliding keeper from this position.

The'embodiment illustrated in Figure 10 is similar to that shown inFigures 7, 8 and 9 except that the sheet retaining prongs 3" areprovided with longitudinal slots 2i instead of the apertures l9.

The embodiment illustrated in Figures 11 and 12 is substantially similarto that shown in Fig.- ure 10 except that the sliding keeper Ill isfolded to provide" an upstanding projection 22.

In this embodiment the finger does not require any embcssment becausethe projection 22 fits. into the slot 2! to serve the same purpose. Theprojection 22: may be sufficiently high to form a positive stop againstthe end of the slot 15 so that it may be impossible to slide the keeperl0" past the free end of the sheet retaining prongs 32' 5 In theembodiment illustrated in Figures 13 and 1A5 the base member is the sameas illustrated in- Figures 1 to 6. The compressor plate 2-3 comprises achannel member 24 having longitudinal flanges 25 and 25. A pair ofsliding keepers 21 is mounted on the flanges 25' and 26 The flanges 25andv 22 are upset adjacent the outer ends or the compressor plate, asindicated at- 28 and 2.8 to restrict the sliding movement of the keepers2?.

of." the prongs until the extensions 36 engage the edges of the prongs-The prongs are then bent downwardly and the sliding keepers are movedover them to. securely retain the papers in the stack 4 boundrelationship.

The. embodiment illustrated in Figure 15 is substantially similar tothat described in Figures 13' and re except that the extensions 39 areformed on thesliding keepers. 2-1" instead or on the flanges ofthecompressor plate. thi

embodiment a stop member 3| is provided at each end of the flange 26'.In assembling this compressor plate with the base member the slidin-gkeepers 21' should be moved to their outermost position so that theextensions 30' will serve as guide members to line the compressor plateup with the sheet retaining prongs.

Although I. have described. several embodiments of my invention indetail, it will be understood that the description thereof isillustrative,

rather than restrictive, as many details may be modified or changedwithout departing from the spirit or scope of my invention. Accordingly,I do not desire to be restricted to the exact details of constructiondescribed, except as limited by the appended claims.

Iclaim;

1. In a fastener, a base member having a prong projecting therefrom, acompressor plate, said prong being positioned over said compressorplate, and. a keeper having a portion slidable between said compressorplate and said prong, said keeper having a finger projecting over saidprong.

2. In a iastener, a base member having a pair of sheet retaining prongsprojecting thereiorm, said sheet retaining prongs each having alongitudinally extending recess stopping short of. its free end, acompressor plate positioned under said sheet retaining prongs, and apair of sliding keepers. each having a portion projecting into therecess of one of said sheet retaining prongs to limit the slidingmovement of said keepers towards the free ends of said sheet retainingprongs.

3. In a fastener, acompressor plate, a base member having a. sheetretaining prong bent over said compressor plate, a keeper slidable onsaid compressor plate with a partof said keeper under and another partover said sheet retaining prong, and cooperating means on said keeperand said sheet retaining prong limiting the sliding movement of saidkeeper in one direction.

4. In a fastener, a. compressor plate, a base member having a sheetretaining prong bent over said compressor plate, and a keeper slidableon said compressor plate with a part over and a part under said sheetretaining. prong, said keeper and said sheet retaining prong havinginterengaging parts for maintaining said keeper in engagement with saidsheet retaining prong.

5. In a fastener, a compressor plate having a longitudinally extending.channel provided with a horizontal flange on each lateral edge, a keeperslidable over sai'dfianges, a finger integral. with said keeper, saidfinger extending transversely of said. channel, an upstanding embossmentin said channel, and. a notch in said keeper engaging said embossment tolimit the outward movement of said keeper relative to. said compressorplate, said finger being spaced. entirely beyond the end ofsaidcompressor. plate when said keeper is in its outermost position.

SAMUEL 'SEGAL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis. patent:

UNITED PATENTS Number Name Date 849,174, Dow Apr. 9, 1907 j 1,094,951Washburne Apr..28, 191.4 1',650,.002 Al'ver' Nov. 22, 1927 1,936,144Wagner Nov; 21, 1933 597,635 Forth Apr; 16,1935 2,119,842 June 7, 1933

